OTTERLEY – EP One / Pyknic (both self-released)
Posted: May 2nd, 2006, by Marceline SmithOtterley seem to have come straight out of the Postcard era back when guitars used to jangle and chime and boys were skinny and had indie fringes. Obviously I am all for this and Otterley’s two self-released EPs are something of a dream come true for indie nostalgics such as myself. They’re not content to merely hark back to the past though with electronic beats bubbling in and out of these songs. What really sets them apart and stops them from falling into the Postal Service indie/electronica cliche are Gerard’s angelic, yearning vocals (also to be heard in the similarly wonderful Findo Gask) which are unashamedly sung in his lovely Fife accent. When his voice catches on a phrase your heart does break.
From the jangliest guitars this side of Johnny Marr that end up twinkling and sighing (In Camera) through harder distorted electronics that soon tip back into Nintendo bip-bop (Sferics) to Kirsten’s almost too cute for words sassy almost-rapping (Idea Fixed) Otterley bring together the precociousness of early Aztec Camera, the lush oddness of Boards of Canada and the heartbreak of the Field Mice into something all their own. In fact, it’s Gregory’s Girl made into song.
But don’t just take my word for it – both these EPs are available for free download from their website. On you go.
www.otterley.co.uk
www.myspace.com/otterleymusic
Marceline Smith
Marceline is the fierce, terrifying force behind diskant.net, laughing with disdain as she fires sharpened blades of sarcasm in all directions. Based in Scotland, her lexicon consists of words such as 'jings', 'aboot' and 'aye': our trained voice analysts are yet to decipher some of the relentless stream of genius uttered on a twenty-four hour basis. Marceline's hobbies include working too much and going out in bad weather.
http://www.marcelinesmith.com